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Pletchers Honored With Marylou Whitney Award For Commitment To The Backstretch Community

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, along with his wife Tracy, received the Marylou Whitney Award from the New York Race Track Chaplaincy for their continuing devotion and support of the backstretch community at the organization's 16th annual fundraising brunch at the Saratoga National Golf Club, the organization said in a release Wednesday.

“I can't say enough about what the New York Race Track Chaplaincy organization does for the backstretch community,” Pletcher said. “It provides so much more than spiritual help. I look at it like the mayor's office where everyone goes when they need help. On behalf of Tracy and our children, thank you very much for this honor and for your support of the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy.”

As is the custom, the Pletchers were presented with a framed racing scene created by equine artist Tom Chapman from the New York Race Track Chaplaincy. In a surprise appearance, Pletcher's mentor, fellow Hall of Famer trainer D. Wayne Lukas, made the presentation.

“God blessed Todd with extraordinary talent and he has shown class, dignity and integrity throughout his career,” Lukas said. “In addition to their own family, Todd and Tracy have also adopted the backstretch family and they are most deserving of this honor.”

The brunch attracted a record crowd of approximately 350 individuals from all segments of the racing industry and included such supporters as Mandy Pope, Jo Ann and Paul Oreffice and Len Green.

Among those in attendance were: Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), NYS Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Agriculture and Markets Elizabeth Wolters, trainer Jena Antonucci and Hall of Famer riders Javier Castellano, Angel Cordero Jr., Edgar Prado, and John Velazquez. Liz Bishop, the longtime television news anchor for the CBS affiliate in Albany, once again served as emcee.

Previous honorees have included Andy Serling, Irad Ortiz Jr., Anne Campbell, Edgar Prado, Michael Dubb, Fay and David Donk, Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson, Letty and Kiaran McLaughlin, Lisa and Kenny Troutt, Debbie and Terry Finley and the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association.

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NY Chaplaincy’s Charity Basketball Game Set for August 3 at Saratoga

The 13th annual jockeys-versus-horsemen charity basketball game, one of the most popular events on the Saratoga social calendar and which benefits the programs of the New York Race Track Chaplaincy, will be played Thursday, Aug. 3 at the Saratoga Springs Recreation Center at 6:30 p.m.

The jockey team will once again be coached by Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr., with trainer Todd Pletcher and agent Kiaran McLaughlin coaching the horsemen team. Mitch Levites

of the NYRA TV department will once again serve as the announcer and retired NBA player John Wallace will be a special guest of the NY Chaplaincy. He will play with the jockeys. Admission is free.

“The horsemen, the jockey colony and Saratoga racing fans all eagerly anticipate this game and it never fails to be an immensely entertaining event,” said Humberto Chavez, the New York Chaplaincy lead chaplain and executive director. “Besides the display of athleticism and the fun, the game also provides critical support for the chaplaincy's various programs serving the backstretch community. We are very grateful to the players, our sponsors and all those who attend each year.”

Horsemen, individuals, or organizations who would like to sponsor the game, or for additional information about the organization, please visit the NY Chaplaincy website.

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Cordero Out as Franco’s Agent

Manny Franco, who has been among the winningest riders on the tough NYRA circuit for the last several years, has fired his agent, Hall of Famer Angel Cordero Jr.

“It's true,” Cordero said Tuesday by text. “There's no problem. He just wants to do better. I don't blame him. Everybody wants to be No. 1.”

In 2020, Cordero was also dismissed by Hall of Famer John Velazquez after working as his agent for 22 years. Cordero, 79, is still the agent for apprentice Jose Gomez. He has not yet found a journeyman rider to replace Franco.

Cordero and Franco, 27, enjoyed much success together. Franco attended the jockey school in his native Puerto Rico and began his career at Camarero Racetrack in 2013 and shifted to the New York tracks later that year. In 2019, he picked up the mount on Tiz the Law (Constitution) and would win four graded stakes with the New York-bred, including the 2020 GI Belmont S. and the 2020 GI Runhappy Travers S.

“I'm just happy to have him on my side,” Franco said of Cordero in a 2020 interview with the Daily Racing Form's David Grening. “He's been in this position before. He always talks to me about how to handle this time, and I'm just blessed to have him in my corner.”

Franco, who has always stayed in New York year-round, won 183 races at the NYRA tracks in 2021, finishing just behind Jose Ortiz and Irad Ortiz Jr. Franco was NYRA's leading rider in 2018 and 2019 with a combined 456 wins, but he is off to a slow start at the current Aqueduct meet. With 13 wins from 94 mounts, he is tied for fourth place in the standings.

As far as his future as an agent, Cordero was understandably downcast Tuesday.

“I've got the bug boy, Jose Gomez,” he texted. “I'll see what happens there until he fires me, too. It's ok. I'm used to it.”

Franco did not return a phone call seeking comment. Cordero said he was not aware who Franco had hired to replace him.

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Breeders’ Cup Buzz: The Rides Of A Lifetime

Behind every winning race is a winning ride, and the Breeders' Cup has produced some of the most impressive piloting efforts the sport has seen.

When considering those winning trips, a share of the credit must, of course, go to the jockey's agents who booked the mounts for their riders. An agent knows a good ride when they see it.

With 37 years of Breeders' Cup races to draw from, we polled six jockey's agents to get their picks for the greatest riding effort in Breeders' Cup history. The answers cast a wide net from personal victories, to betting scores, to rooting for childhood heroes.

Doug Bredar

“For obvious reasons, it would be Gun Runner in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar. I'm still surprised that Arrogate went off as the favorite. The bettors thought that Gun Runner would have issues going a mile and a quarter, but the connections felt otherwise. Arrogate had beaten him a couple of times, and it was not only an incredible thrill watching Florent Geroux win the race, but redemption for the way he did it. The fractions were 22.4, 46.1, 1:10.2 and 1:35. He went wire-to-wire and I thought it was an exceptional ride. Very fond memories of a special race.”

John Herbstreit

“Arazi and Zenyatta are the most impressive horse races I've seen. Even when Zenyatta ran second, she was impressive. Alysheba and Personal Ensign are my favorite wins. My favorite ride was Pat Day on Wild Again in the 1984 Classic.”

Ron Ebanks

“Randy Romero on Personal Ensign in the mud getting up the last jump to nail Gary Stevens on Winning Colors (1988 Distaff). He was my idol as a kid and I couldn't have been more happy and proud of him.”

Jimmy McNerney

“Pat Valenzuela aboard Fraise in the 1992 Turf stands out the most. It was the first Breeders' Cup that I was old enough to 'legally' bet and I put $100 across the board on him. He came from last and P-Val made every right move weaving his way through the pack through the turn. When they straightened, he dove down and snuck through along the fence and nipped Sky Classic right on the money. There's no other path that he could've taken and had the same result.”

Mike Luider

“Gulch in the 1988 Sprint. Angel Cordero Jr. was masterful!”

Brian Beach

“Julie Krone's ride on Halfbridled in the 2003 Juvenile Fillies was one of the best I've seen. It's not always about weaving though traffic and getting up at the wire. It's sometimes about getting your horse to perform its best under adverse circumstances, and that's what happened in this race. They broke from the 14 post and Julie was able to get her filly to relax while going wide and still not expending too much energy until she could get a better position down the backstretch. By the time they turned for home Julie had Halfbridled in a perfect winning position with something left in the tank for the run to the wire.”

The post Breeders’ Cup Buzz: The Rides Of A Lifetime appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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